The honking tunnel

Day two of the year and an attempt to go camping in ‘Middle Earth’ had to be abandoned when the weather became as uncooperative and moody as a toddler at bedtime. We got as far as the Mount Victoria Tunnel, no more than a ten minute drive from the front door.

The tunnel is locally renowned as a place where some motorist (like my friend Phil) sound their horn for no other reason than to hear another horn sound back in response. Apparently this practice is polarising among Wellingtonians. You’re either a honker, or a non-honker.

I’ll confess that I like to honk my horn in a tunnel or under a suitable bridge. I think I just like hearing the echo and maybe on some level reliving those times as a child when you would shout into a valley at the top of your voice in the hope that you would hear yourself shout back moments later.